Semiconductor diodes with fin structure

Abstract

A semiconductor diode structure is provided which includes a substrate; a fin formed of a semiconducting material positioned vertically on the substrate, the fin includes a first heavily-doped region of a first doping type on one side and a second heavily-doped region of a second doping type on an opposite side; and a first conductor contacting the first heavily-doped region and a second conductor contacting the second heavily-doped region.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A semiconductor diode 
       a substrate;  
       a fin formed of a semiconducting material positioned vertically on said substrate, said fin comprises a first heavily doped region of a first doping type on one side and a second heavily-doped region of a second doping type on an opposite side, wherein said fin having a width between about 50 angstroms and about 5000 angstroms; and  
       a first conductor contacting said first heavily-doped region and a second conductor contacting said second heavily-doped region.  
     
     
       2. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 1 , wherein said semiconducting material comprises silicon. 
     
     
       3. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 1 , wherein said semiconducting material comprises silicon and germanium. 
     
     
       4. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 1 , wherein said semiconducting material is a compound semiconductor. 
     
     
       5. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises a layer of an insulating material. 
     
     
       6. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 5 , wherein said insulating material is silicon oxide. 
     
     
       7. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 5 , wherein said insulating material is a dielectric selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride and aluminum oxide. 
     
     
       8. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 1 , wherein said first doping type is formed using n-type dopant selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, arsenic and antimony. 
     
     
       9. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 1 , wherein said second heavily-doped region of the second doping type is formed using p-type dopant selected from the group consisting of boron and indium. 
     
     
       10. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second conductor is formed of a metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten and copper. 
     
     
       11. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second conductor is formed of a metallic nitride selected from the group consisting of titanium nitride and tantalum nitride. 
     
     
       12. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second conductor is formed of a heavily-doped semiconducting material. 
     
     
       13. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second conductor is formed of p+ doped polysilicon. 
     
     
       14. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second conductor comprises a first conductive layer underlying a second conductive layer. 
     
     
       15. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 14 , wherein said first conductive layer is titanium nitride and said second conductive layer is tungsten. 
     
     
       16. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 1 , wherein said fin having a height greater than about 200 angstroms. 
     
     
       17. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 1 , wherein said first doping type is n+, said second doping type is p+ forming n+/p+ tunnel diode. 
     
     
       18. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 17 , wherein a tunneling junction is formed between n+ and p+ regions. 
     
     
       19. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 1 , wherein a dopant concentration in each of said n+ and p+ regions is greater than 10 19  cm −3 . 
     
     
       20. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 1 , wherein an etchant mask overlies said fin. 
     
     
       21. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 20 , wherein said etchant mask comprises a dielectric material selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, silicon nitride and silicon nitride on a silicon oxide stack. 
     
     
       22. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 1 , wherein a silicide is formed in said first heavily-doped region and said second heavily-doped region. 
     
     
       23. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 22 , wherein said silicide is selected from the group consisting of titanium silicide, cobalt silicide, nickel silicide and platinum silicide. 
     
     
       24. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 22 , wherein a junction depth of said first or second heavily-doped region is greater than a silicide penetration depth by at least about 50 angstroms. 
     
     
       25. A semiconductor diode structure comprising: 
       a substrate;  
       a fin formed of a semiconducting material positioned vertically on said substrate, said fin comprises a first heavily-doped region of a first doping type on one side and a second heavily-doped region of a second doping type on an opposite side, and a lightly-doped body region situated in-between said first heavily-doped region and said second heavily-doped region, said fin having a width between about 50 angstroms and about 5000 angstroms; and  
       a first conductor contacting said first heavily-doped region and a second conductor contacting said second heavily-doped region.  
     
     
       26. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 25 , wherein said semiconducting material comprises silicon. 
     
     
       27. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 25 , wherein said semiconducting material comprises silicon and germanium. 
     
     
       28. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 25 , wherein said semiconducting material is a compound semiconductor. 
     
     
       29. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 25 , wherein said substrate comprises a layer of an insulating material. 
     
     
       30. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 29 , wherein said insulating material is silicon oxide. 
     
     
       31. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 29 , wherein said insulating material is a dielectric selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride and aluminum oxide. 
     
     
       32. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 25 , wherein said first doping type is formed using n-type dopant selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, arsenic and antimony. 
     
     
       33. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 25 , wherein said second heavily-doped region of the second doping type is formed using p-type dopant selected from the group consisting of boron and indium. 
     
     
       34. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 25 , wherein said first and second conductor is formed of a metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten and copper. 
     
     
       35. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 25 , wherein said first and second conductor is formed of a metallic nitride selected from the group consisting of titanium nitride and tantalum nitride. 
     
     
       36. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 25 , wherein said first and second conductor is formed of a heavily-doped semiconducting material. 
     
     
       37. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 25 , wherein said first and second conductor is formed of p+ doped polysilicon. 
     
     
       38. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 25 , wherein said first and second conductor comprises a first conductive layer underlying a second conductive layer. 
     
     
       39. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 37 , wherein said first conductive layer is titanium nitride and said second conductive layer is tungsten. 
     
     
       40. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 25 , wherein said fin having a height greater than about 200 angstroms. 
     
     
       41. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 25 , wherein an etchant mask overlies said fin. 
     
     
       42. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 41 , wherein said etchant mask comprises a dielectric material selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, silicon nitride and silicon nitride on a silicon oxide stack. 
     
     
       43. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 25 , wherein a silicide is formed in said first heavily-doped region and said second heavily-doped region. 
     
     
       44. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 43 , wherein said silicide is selected from the group consisting of titanium silicide, cobalt silicide, nickel silicide and platinum silicide. 
     
     
       45. The semiconductor diode structure of  claim 43 , wherein a junction depth of said first or second heavily-doped region is greater than a silicide penetration depth by at least about 50 angstroms. 
     
     
       46. A semiconductor diode string comprising: 
       a substrate;  
       a plurality of fins situated side-by-side on said substrate each formed of a semiconducting material and each having a first heavily-doped region of a first doping type on one side and a second heavily-doped region of a second doping type on an opposite side, said fin having a width between about 50 angstroms and about 5000 angstroms; and  
       a conductor contacting said first heavily-doped region in each of said plurality of fins and said second heavily-doped region of an adjacent fin.  
     
     
       47. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 46 , wherein said semiconducting material comprises silicon. 
     
     
       48. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 46 , wherein said semiconducting material comprises silicon and germanium. 
     
     
       49. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 46 , wherein said semiconducting material is a compound semiconductor. 
     
     
       50. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 46 , wherein said substrate comprises a layer of an insulating material. 
     
     
       51. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 50 , wherein said insulating material is silicon oxide. 
     
     
       52. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 50 , wherein said insulating material is a dielectric selected from the group consisting of silicon nitride and aluminum oxide. 
     
     
       53. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 46 , wherein said first doping type is formed using n-type dopant selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, arsenic and antimony. 
     
     
       54. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 46 , wherein said second heavily-doped region of the second doping type is formed using p-type dopant selected from the group consisting of boron and indium. 
     
     
       55. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 46 , wherein said first and second conductor is formed of a metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten and copper. 
     
     
       56. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 46 , wherein said first and second conductor is formed of a metallic nitride selected from the group consisting of titanium nitride and tantalum nitride. 
     
     
       57. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 46 , wherein said first and second conductor is formed of a heavily-doped semiconducting material. 
     
     
       58. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 46 , wherein said first and second conductor is formed of p+ doped polysilicon. 
     
     
       59. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 46 , wherein said first and second conductor comprises a first conductive layer underlying a second conductive layer. 
     
     
       60. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 58 , wherein said first conductive layer is titanium nitride and said second conductive layer is tungsten. 
     
     
       61. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 46 , wherein said fin having a height greater than about 200 angstroms. 
     
     
       62. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 46 , wherein an etchant mask overlies each one of said plurality of fins. 
     
     
       63. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 62 , wherein said etchant mask comprises a dielectric material selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, silicon nitride and silicon nitride on a silicon oxide stack. 
     
     
       64. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 46 , wherein a silicide is formed in said first heavily-doped region and said second heavily-doped region. 
     
     
       65. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 64 , wherein said silicide is selected from the group consisting of titanium, silicide, cobalt silicide, nickel silicide and platinum silicide. 
     
     
       66. The semiconductor diode string of  claim 64 , wherein a junction depth of said first or second heavily-doped region is greater than a silicide penetration depth by at least about 50 angstroms.